Good afternoon,I'm having a lot of fun working with the FMC - starting to actually figure things out - thanks to all the help here. I filed a plan from CYUL - CYHZ. I selected a STAR and approach for ILS-23. I noticed a couple things that I didn't see in the manual.- when you select the approach (and sometimes the STAR) there is an option in the FMC for TRANS. What is that exactly?- once I had my approach planned, there is a line in the FMC that says VECTOR ---/----. What should I be placing there?Thanks once again. Cheers,Colin Gray

Approaches and STARs often have transitions. I'm not familiar with Canadian charts, but the US STARS will have a bold line from the first to the last fix of the basic arrival, the transitions are multiple routes from way out leading to the first fix of the basic arrival.Approaches are defined basically as a final approach fix (FAF) and initial approach fixes (IAF) and generally each IAF (if more than one) is a transition to the FAF. Sometimes the FAF will also be a IAF but in this case you usually have to do a procedure turn or holding pattern to establish the final approach course before crossing the FAF.See also: http://ops.precisionmanuals.com/wiki/SIDSTARS and note the link at the bottom to the instrument pilot handbook. This is a verry good publication.Most STARs do not connect directly to an approach on this continent. You have to either get vectors from ATC or file to an IAF to have a continious route to the approach.

Colin, in which FMC page did you find the VECTOR ---/---- prompt ?.

Hey Jose,Thank you for getting back to me.I get the prompt for (VECTOR) on the ACT RTE LEGS page. On the ACT RTE page, there are no prompts. When I come to that part in the procedure, I get a warning prompt and then VNAV shuts down. From that point I usually just follow the last commands given from ATC and try to fly in manually. I'm just curious as to when and what I plug into the ---/-----. I did notice that there are vectors given for the missed approach. Do I just ignore those?Colin Gray

The blanks are not for data entry, they simply mean you are on vectors and the FMS can't calculate time/dist/spd.If you want to use a ATC simulation, go visit the Radar Contact forum or consider on-line such as VATSIM. The default ATC in MSFS is so unrealistic as to be useless.

The blanks are not for data entry, they simply mean you are on vectors and the FMS can't calculate time/dist/spd.If you want to use a ATC simulation, go visit the Radar Contact forum or consider on-line such as VATSIM. The default ATC in MSFS is so unrealistic as to be useless.

I've been screwing a lot at virtual Heathrow lately, and they have both STARs and then these "Initial approach" charts that appear to be in case radar fails to get you from the VOR where the STAR ends to the IAF.. (I'm IFR in the states, but haven't run across anything really similar here.) Instead of taking the vectors to the IAF, I sometimes program the fixes in this approach into the FMS (They are a series of Bearing/Distance fixes off VORs), and fly those to the IAF. Kind of fun, actually.

(VECTORS) simply means that you are to expect radar vectors from ATC at that point. If you look at the chart for the procedure, you'll likely see something of the form, "After FIXNAME, fly heading 360, expect radar vectors to Runway XX". (VECTORS) is simply the way the FMC encodes this.To clear the (VECTORS) line, just line select a later waypoint, such as the approach's IAF, up over top of it.

What I am trying to learn how to do is similar to this topic.  My flight plan from KDCA RWY 01 includes NATIONAL 3 departure. http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/KDCA/DP/NATIONAL+THREE.  After takeoff I select LNAV and the FMC turns to 328 degrees and  is in VECTOR mode.  I have not been able to figure out how to step beyond the vector to  the next step in the flight plan.  I have tried deleting the vector step and that is invalid.  I have tried turning off LNAV and approaching the next waypoint and then turning LNAV back on.  In this case FMC resumes the vector.  Please let me know if there is additional information that I can provide.  Thanks, Mike

For the airport that you specify CYHZ, if you look at the STAR chart, you'll see the waypoint (depending on which STAR) that indicates to fly XXX heading if approach clearance is not received before you get there. Most of the time you'll get approach clearance before that waypoint, (unless traffic is high and the controller needs to create space) After receiving clearance, you can simply delete "VECTORS" from your FMC flight plan and the FMC will turn to the IAF. Then you can arm the approach.

What I am trying to learn how to do is similar to this topic.  My flight plan from KDCA RWY 01 includes NATIONAL 3 departure. http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/KDCA/DP/NATIONAL+THREE.  After takeoff I select LNAV and the FMC turns to 328 degrees and  is in VECTOR mode.  I have not been able to figure out how to step beyond the vector to  the next step in the flight plan.  I have tried deleting the vector step and that is invalid.  I have tried turning off LNAV and approaching the next waypoint and then turning LNAV back on.  In this case FMC resumes the vector.  Please let me know if there is additional information that I can provide.  Thanks, Mike

 

For vectors on departure, you would normally get vectors from ATC or sometimes clearance to turn direct to one of the waypoints on your filed flight plan. If you're receiving vectors, you'll be in HDG SEL mode. Eventually, ATC will clear you to a waypoint. In that case, (boeing FMC) on the legs page, you would select the waypoint you're clear to (to put it in the scratch pad), and bring it to the top of the plan by clicking on the LSK at the top of the flight plan. Then verify that LNAV is active.

 

 

What I am trying to learn how to do is similar to this topic. My flight plan from KDCA RWY 01 includes NATIONAL 3 departure.

 

Thanks for taking the time to use the forum search function to find a topic similar to yours.  Sorry it didn't end up answering your question, but I think I might have a few videos that might help:

 

This first one is about SIDs/STARs in general, and even if you get the idea of SIDs/STARs, you'll find that you'll learn some more about them by watching - I can nearly guarantee that:

 

This second one is how to practically apply the above in the cockpit.  The only step you're missing (that would be covered in the NGX tutorials, actually), is that you don't delete the vector leg, you actually line select the fix you want to pick up, and put it at the top of the legs page (demonstrated at 03:25-03:45, though I strongly suggest watching the whole thing).

Thanks for the replies.  I was able to work through what I was trying to do.  I set up a similar scenario departing KROC RWY 22 on the Xerox2 departure, then Rnav 22 approach, Magen transition.  After takeoff and initial climb the FMC was on the (VECTOR) leg.   On the Legs page there was nothing that I could do to advance beyond the (VECTOR) step.  Pressing the Magen soft key or any other key had no effect.  However, when I switched to the RTE page I was able to delete the whole SID, press exec, turn to intercept, then enter LNAV to continue the route.  I watched the 737NGX video and conclude that the behavior of 737NG and 737NGX are different.  Deleting the SID works for continuing to the enroute portion for departure.